CSE205 Object Oriented Programming and Data Structures Page 1

3. Objects and Classes :: Constructors

All classes must have at least one constructor even if that constructor does nothing:
public class C {
public C() {
}
}
The default constructor of a class is the constructor that has no parameters. If you do not write a
constructor, the compiler automatically generates a default constructor as shown above.
The job of a constructor is to initialize the object by initializing one or more of the instance variables
of the object.
Constructors may be overloaded.
public class Point {
public Point() { // Default constructor.
setX(0);
setY(0);
}
public Point(double initX, double initY) { // A second constructor.
setX(initX);
setY(initY);
}
}
CSE205 Object Oriented Programming and Data Structures Page 2

3. Objects and Classes :: Automatic Instance Data Initialization

Any instance variables that are not initialized in a constructor will be automatically initialized. int
and double data members are initialized to 0 and objects are initialized to null.
public class C {
private int x;
private double y;
private String s;
public C() {
}
}
public class Main() {
public static void main(String[] args) {
C cObject = new C();
}
}
CSE205 Object Oriented Programming and Data Structures Page 3

3. Objects and Classes :: References

When we declare an object variable it is initialized to null. When the object is instantiated the object
variable will be initialized with a reference to the object.

Point pete;
pete = new Point(10, 20);

Assigning object variable to another causes both object variables to refer to the same object.
Point patty = pete;